Chapter 318: Peach Blossom Debt, Mei Jie

Chapter 318: Peach Blossom Debt, Mei Jie

"Senior, I'll go see my big brother and have him come to welcome you personally."

As soon as he stepped into the spaceport, Senluo was eager to leave ahead of them.

But just as he lifted one foot, he found himself frozen in place.

The woman in the plain robe strolled leisurely past him, saying, "What's the rush? Now that we're here, what's the hurry? Let's walk around first."

"It's good that you two know that this place is one of the sacred sites of the Cangqing Divine System, one of the five major pillars of ancient times. Hmm..."

After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped, looking up in surprise and murmuring, "It's actually unsealed?"

"This place is probably the first unsealed site among the eleven Ascension Altars. No wonder the kid has already inherited three parts of the Heavenly Mandate. It's no wonder he's so talented."

She lifted her foot and took a step forward, appearing slightly relieved, and both Senluo and You Chengkong couldn't help but follow her.

The three of them walked out of the spaceport and entered the Tai'an Urban Circle.

The woman's robe and attire were vastly different from the Federal style, making her stand out in the crowd. However, unlike in the past, with the influx of warriors from Jiu Zhou and various realms, the Federal citizens were no longer surprised by such appearances. Moreover, given the identity of these warriors, most people tended to keep their distance.

Suddenly, the woman lowered her head.

A corner of her robe was grabbed by a passing little girl who looked at her curiously and reached out her chubby little hand as if wanting to touch her Dao Crown.

The woman in the plain robe smiled, pinched the girl's cheek, and pointed at her forehead, blessing this "lucky" girl.

This harmonious scene made Senluo's mouth twitch.

When did this woman become so kind?

During their forced journey to the Great Universe, they had witnessed her killing without hesitation at the slightest provocation.

"I'm so sorry!" The girl's parent hurried over, picked up the girl, and apologized, "I'm sorry for the trouble."

Facing the woman in the plain robe, who exuded an extraordinary aura, the parent was clearly cautious. After apologizing, they quickly left with the child.

The woman in the plain robe didn't mind. She waved goodbye to the parent and the girl who had bid her farewell.

It was because of this that among the countless beings, those with "luck" were so precious.

She looked at the invisible silk thread in her hand, which she had just pulled from the girl.

Following this thread, her gaze pierced through layers of void and landed on a certain temple.

"Let's go," she said calmly.

Along the way, the three of them encountered numerous warriors from various realms.

At this moment, two days had passed since Ji Jingqiu's display of power.

Because they hadn't received any news while on the flight path, they only learned of the latest battle situation from the conversations of passersby.

"... Among the current Divine Prohibitions, Ji Jingqiu was the slowest to break through to the Heavenly Realm. We thought he lacked the strength to continue, and he would need to consolidate his cultivation for a while. But who would've thought that right after breaking through to the Heavenly Realm, he would shock the world with his extraordinary power."

"This Ji Jingqiu is indeed a genius favored by heaven. The Yanhuang Federation is indeed a treasure land. Ten thousand years ago, they produced He Donghuang and Ji Tianxing, and now, ten thousand years later, this child is born. Could it be that heaven's decree is unending?"

The three of them passed by a roadside tavern, where someone was grumbling, "Asking me to find out Ji Jingqiu's background? Are the higher-ups crazy? And if they're not, they'll run their legs off... and lose their lives!"

"Hehe, we're indeed just pawns."

"So what if we're pawns? Do we not value the lives of pawns? Who would send a Heavenly Realm cultivator to test a suspected Heavenly King?"

"It's just too unbelievable... What can we do if they don't believe it?"

"Sigh, that person didn't finish speaking, he was cut off halfway through."

"Shh, it's obvious that someone didn't want him to continue talking—"

"Have their identities been exposed?"

"Hehe, the Four Demons have all appeared, do you still need to ask? Of course, they're the Four Divine Cultists from the Great Universe. According to normal logic, daring to join forces to kill Ji Jingqiu, these people must be more than just Great Heavenly Ranks, but it's uncertain if there's a Heavenly Realm cultivator among them."

"A Great Heavenly Rank, is it also just a single slash?"

"If that's the case... can this child, being on Dong3 Huang Star, really rival a Heavenly King?"

"It's hard to say..."

Hearing about his big brother's latest achievement, Senluo couldn't help but smile, his joy evident.

The woman in the plain robe, on the other hand, seemed deep in thought.

Even a Great Heavenly Rank couldn't withstand a single slash, and the traces of combat left on this planet, along with the vague "presence" in the heavens and earth.

Could this guy, on Dong3 Huang Star, have achieved an alternative version of the Great Luo Heaven?

Combined with the already confirmed Omnipresence, this child, on Dong3 Huang Star, was indeed equivalent to a miniature version of a Heavenly King.

Although he hadn't met Ji Jingqiu yet, with the woman's experience, she quickly guessed the ins and outs of Ji Jingqiu's current situation.

If it were indeed as she had guessed—

The woman's expression was slightly odd, and it seemed that Senluo's expectations behind her were correct.

Being in this heaven and earth, she truly couldn't defeat this "landlord" who was suppressing her.

Under her guidance, the three of them gradually approached the temple located in the center.

At a corner, Senluo spotted a pair of striking nostrils—a pair of nostrils pointing upwards, and a figure exuding an air of authority as if declaring their influential background. The figure approached them but suddenly stopped, their expression changing dramatically.

Kong Li abruptly halted, recognizing the Daoist crown on the plain-robed woman's head, his expression shifting abruptly.

The plain-robed woman glanced at him, paying no heed to this proud peacock. She walked past Kong Li with Senluo, heading towards the temple.

Behind them, Kong Li's eyes widened, but he dared not stare too intently, only able to observe her through the corner of his eyes.

That Daoist crown...

The Taiyin Crown?!

Countless years ago, Huang Tian Jiu Zhou united the top civilizations born from the five pillars of the Great Universe.

As time passed, some civilizations weakened, some left to become part of the Three Thousand Yan Fu Ti, and others remained prosperous, awaiting the opportunity to return to the Great Universe.

The Taiyin Empire belonged to the third group.

They were the primary inheritors of the Ming Xu Shen Xi among the five pillars, and their empire practiced divine right to rule. The highest authority, known as the Taiyin Divine Palace, was located in Dongji Zhou, one of the Nine Continents, governing the eastern part of the Nine Continents. Ten thousand years ago, they defended against the Southern Emperor's eastward invasion.

The Taiyin Divine Palace inherited three supreme laws from the Ming Xu Shen Xi, but only those who inherited the Taiyin Lianxu Dangmo Shen Jue could become the master of the Divine Palace.

On the "Do Not Provoke" list passed down by their ancestors, the Taiyin Divine Palace ranked among the top five.

Kong Li was certain he hadn't mistaken the crown; it should be the Taiyin Crown, symbolizing the Daoist laws and identity of the Taiyin lineage.

Which big shot from the Taiyin Divine Palace is here?

The contemporary Shen Nu?

But this generation's Taiyin Shen Nu was born not long ago; she's only a little over two years old now, albeit with extraordinary talents. It's said that she has already started her cultivation...

Kong Li's expression turned solemn, leaving only one possible explanation.

This is a big shot's clone!

Is she here for the former Southern Emperor, He Donghuang?

Kong Li's footsteps suddenly froze, and he turned to look in the direction where she had disappeared.

Looking in that direction... is she heading to the temple?

Kong Li pondered.

In the past, when the Cangnan Alliance, which dominated the southern part of the Nine Continents, continued its expansion, it faced a joint blockade from three other parties, with the Taiyin Empire being one of them.

After He Donghuang and Ji Tianxing successively disappeared, the rapidly rising Cangnan Alliance soon faced a split.

During this time, the Taiyin Empire played a significant role.

Ten thousand years ago, the then-master of the Taiyin Divine Palace personally led an army to invade the headquarters of the Cangnan Alliance after news of He Donghuang's disappearance spread. They searched for He Donghuang's whereabouts, marking the beginning of the disintegration of the Cangnan Alliance, a colossal entity.

Today, in places like the Southern Wilderness Continent, there are still many forces reminiscing about those glorious years.

Kong Li couldn't help but blink repeatedly.

Before coming to the Great Universe, he had specifically reviewed all the secret records and documents related to the Yanhuang Federation within his clan.

Among them was a record about the then-master of the Taiyin Divine Palace and He Donghuang, which was somewhat...

Unclear?

This was rather baffling.

That master of the Taiyin Divine Palace had achieved Daoist enlightenment over a hundred thousand years ago and was listed among the Tian Zun. Ten thousand years ago, he even ascended to the Daoist Ancestor, stepping down from his position as the master of the palace.

As for He Donghuang, he was only a few hundred years old at most.

When Kong Li first saw this record, he questioned how these two could have sparked a connection.

He Donghuang had only achieved Daoist enlightenment for a few hundred years, while the former master of the Taiyin Divine Palace had already reached the Daoist Ancestor realm before He Donghuang was even born, looking down upon all living beings.

Even if these two had interacted, it would have been on the battlefield later on.

Could it be that they developed feelings while fighting?

It couldn't have been love at first sight, could it?

Both of these scenarios seemed too absurd for a Tian Zun and Daoist Ancestor.

...

...

Yu Qingyu entered the temple with the two behind her.

Inside the temple, a formless statue stood in the center, with a young man standing beside it.

"Big Brother!" Senluo exclaimed in surprise.

Ji Jingqiu nodded, his gaze falling on the plain-robed woman.

The moment he set foot on Dong3 Huang Xing, the planet's will sent him a warning.

Although she was a Xin Xiang, she gave Ji Jingqiu a sense of danger surpassing the divine image he had encountered a few days ago. An intuition arose in his heart—to confront her, he would need to exert his full strength, suppressing her with a single strike, leaving her no chance to retaliate.

Upon discovering her, he contacted Hera, asking if she knew this person.

Hera took a look and laughed, saying that some dog thief's romantic entanglements had arrived.

Ji Jingqiu was secretly startled. Wasn't He Shuai single for life? Among the seven shuaige, only He Shuai had not left behind a bloodline, remaining unmarried like Ji Shuai, dedicated to the Great Dao.

Yu Qingyu didn't look at Ji Jingqiu. Her gaze moved from the door to the statue, and she stood in a daze before the formless divine statue.

She didn't sense any "qi" belonging to that fellow.

The previous speculations were completely overturned.

This guy didn't follow the path of the other four.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Qingyu looked expressionlessly at the quietly waiting Ji Jingqiu by his side and said, "The Taiyin Divine Palace can ally with the Yanhuang Federation and protect you through the current crisis, on the condition that you, as the successor of He Donghuang, marry into the Taiyin Divine Palace and wed this generation's Taiyin Divine Girl."

Senluo, who was beside them, was shocked. Was this a plan to eliminate the root of the problem?

Ji Jingqiu had never expected that on the third day of his invincible reign, he would encounter such an unavoidable situation.

He politely replied, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Senior. Although my cultivation is not low, I am still young and have no intention of marriage for now."

Yu Qingyu calmly said, "It's fine. The Divine Girl is around the same age as you. We can decide now and have her marry you after she comes of age."

"Coming of age?"

"The Divine Girl is two and a half years old this year," Yu Qingyu said with a faint smile.

Ji Jingqiu's mouth twitched as he glanced at Senluo and You Chengkong.

These two had brought a "living ancestor" upon him.

Ji Jingqiu spoke frankly, "I'm not boasting, but in this world, there is no one worthy of me. As for a Dao companion, I don't consider it."

Yu Qingyu stared at him, slightly dazed, and said slowly, as if asking a question or muttering to herself, "No one in this world is worthy of you?"

Ji Jingqiu's eyelid twitched inexplicably. Why did it feel like he had stepped on a landmine?

In his inner world, Hela also spoke with uncertainty, "Back then, He Donghuang seemed to have said the same thing to the world."

"At that time, he was full of vigor and ambition. Countless people vied to offer their daughters to him, hoping to establish a connection, but he rejected them all."

Ji Jingqiu understood. Marriage alliances were a tradition since ancient times, and he would likely encounter such matters in the future.

Being too outstanding was also a sin.

"If you don't want to marry, I won't force you," Yu Qingyu said after giving him a deep look. "But soon, the Federation will face a crisis, and the Taiyin Divine Palace will also take action."

Ji Jingqiu didn't respond. He turned and looked at the divine statue, remaining silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "Senior, you've come too late. A few years ago, Master He appeared one last time to save me."

Yu Qingyu's pupils constricted suddenly.

Ji Jingqiu sighed, "Master He said that his lifelong wish was to protect this Federation. Unfortunately, he is no longer able to fulfill this wish, and he hopes that I can do it in his stead."

In his inner world, Hela's expression was peculiar as she asked, "What are you doing? Are you trying to pua her?"

Ji Jingqiu ignored her and said sincerely, "I have already sworn to protect the Federation with my life, the same one Master He once guarded. Senior, are you from the Taiyin Divine Palace? I was fortunate enough to see some of Master He's memory fragments and messages, and among them..."

Seeing that he stopped halfway through his sentence, Yu Qingyu couldn't help but urge him, "What about the fragments?"

"There was a glimpse of you in them," Ji Jingqiu sighed. "Master He lived as he pleased, but he always encountered situations beyond his control, leading to too many regrets and missed opportunities."

He didn't directly say "Master He misses you," as it was too straightforward and might raise suspicions. Instead, he expressed "too many regrets" and "missed opportunities," leaving room for speculation and allowing her to imagine the rest.

Yu Qingyu remained silent for a moment before suddenly laughing coldly, "Then marry into the Taiyin Divine Palace. We'll be family, and I'll protect you."

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but feel disgruntled. The old ones were indeed more experienced. His intentions had been seen through.

Yu Qingyu laughed coldly, "Are you really He Donghuang's disciple, or are you Ji Tianxing's disciple?"

Ji Jingqiu immediately became furious. "You are Master He's beloved, and I call you Senior. Why are you scolding me?"

This time, Yu Qingyu twitched her mouth, holding back the cold ridicule she had been about to say.

She glared at Ji Jingqiu, leaving a thread of connection for future encounters, in case they really fought and she was defeated, which would be embarrassing in this place.

"Kid, before the Federation's crisis arrives, you still have a chance to marry into my Taiyin Divine Palace. Don't say I didn't remind you!"

Seeing that their "cooperation" was not going to happen, Ji Jingqiu directly said without courtesy, "You're welcome. Actually, Master He's memory fragments don't even have you in them."

Yu Qingyu, who had just taken a step forward, almost stumbled.

In the end, You Chengkong hesitated for a moment before bowing to Ji Jingqiu and ultimately choosing to follow Yu Qingyu.

This person turned out to be a big shot from the Taiyin Divine Palace!

There were three major powers in Jiu Zhou that stood above all the other overlord-level forces, and one of them was the Taiyin Divine Palace.

Senluo naturally chose to stay, tears welling up as he ran towards his brother.

Ji Jingqiu reached out and patted his head, pushing him away, and asked, "What's next for you? Are you returning to Jiu Zhou, or staying in the Great Universe to cultivate?"

Senluo was a bit conflicted and suddenly asked, "Big Brother, have you already collaborated with the Nine Palaces?"

Ji Jingqiu nodded.

Senluo became excited, "Then our Purple Crystal Clan can do the same! You can send a representative with me!"

Ji Jingqiu didn't refuse, as bringing more forces to the Federation's battlefield was beneficial in the current situation.

After settling the matters of Senluo, Ji Jingqiu returned to the depths of the Yin Yang Palace.

During these two days, apart from discussing the true identity of the Shakyamuni and the secrets it might hold, he was also studying "Fang Yu," the Chosen One.

As the name suggests, the Chosen One is the one destined by the will of the universe, the future ruler ordained by the cosmic order.

To put it more directly, they are blessed with an abundance of fortune, the kind of person who can stumble upon treasures even while stuck at home, someone Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but envy.

Within their respective worlds, every Chosen One can smoothly ascend to the Tian Wang, ruling over a universe.

However, advancing further becomes more challenging than for other Tian Wangs.

Being blessed by the universe, one must also bear the corresponding karma.

Ji Jingqiu didn't rush to deal with this situation. Instead, he communicated with the residual spirit of the original body, helping it regain control.

The reason Fang Yu didn't completely kill him was because this residual spirit carried an important destiny that needed to be slowly "digested."

Ji Jingqiu hoped to uncover a hint of the mystery of destiny from this person.

To some extent, on Dong3 Huang Xing, he could also be considered destined, a "small part" of the Chosen One.

The reason he was a small part was that Dong3 Huang Xing's destiny was currently incomplete, far less than that of a complete universe.

"The mystery of the path of destiny can wait for now. You should go and meet the Wu Shang Zhen Fo," Hela said, "If I'm not mistaken, the reason Wo Zhou took the title 'Shakyamuni' is that they still have ambitions for your Shenzun lineage's path, aiming to replace it."

Regarding this, Ji Jingqiu didn't know whether Hela was pleased or not, but she certainly seemed happy.

The more diverse Wo Zhou's desires, the more it indicated that they hadn't reached that step yet and hadn't completely taken over her divine seat, leaving a chance for her to reclaim it in the future!

Ji Jingqiu resealed Fang Yu, ignoring his crazed gaze that devoured people indiscriminately.

"Indeed..."

Ji Jingqiu's expression turned solemn,

"I discussed with the Four Deity Lords before. The reason the Wu Shang Zhen Fo is in such a muddled state is twofold. First, the faith power has contaminated the core of his divine power, and second, the Three Devils have intervened."

In the past ten thousand years, with the Four Deity Lords guarding the Yuan Region, the power of the Three Devils could hardly penetrate the federal territory. But with the birth of this Wu Shang Zhen Fo, things changed.

Over the past years, the Wu Shang Zhen Fo sect had been the most troublesome headache for the Federation.

Suddenly, Ji Jingqiu spoke up, "Speaking of which, when I rooted the Puti Tree in the Ocean of Souls and established a pure land to protect Dong3 Huang Xing, I discovered something interesting..."

...

...

The Frontier.

In the Great Universe, a civilization with hundreds of star systems would have an extremely long and narrow frontier, making it challenging to defend against top-tier martial artists.

However, the twelve dazzling divine lights that rose from the center of the Federation blocked the believers of the Three Devils from various parts of the Great Universe, keeping them outside the federal frontier.

The stronger the martial artist, the more their thoughts would stir the Ocean of Souls, creating larger ripples and waves.

These ripples couldn't escape the "eyes" of the Twelve Deity Princes.

So far, not a single Tianren Yuwan had managed to infiltrate the federal territory.

However, the power of the Twelve Deity Princes wasn't limitless. With the continuous riots in the Yuan Region, even with the Four Deity Lords, their condition could be described as deteriorating.

Under these circumstances, the Federation's top martial artists had been dispatched to guard the frontier, relieving the pressure on the Deity Princes and using the enemies as sharpening stones.

Among them were the six great families, the Four Zongshi Dao, and the Hundred Vein martial artists.

Everyone was contributing their strength.

Some even went to the Yuan Region to assist the Deity Lords.

That was the Huangye Jiaotuan, who had been exploring the depths of the Ocean of Souls.

Within the Federation, aside from the Deity Lords, no one understood the Yuan Region better than them.

The Huangye Jiaotuan's organization was extremely loose; it was more like a mutual aid society than a sect.

They used "fishing" as a method, offering themselves as bait, delving deep into the Ocean of Souls to seek mysteries.

One day.

A team assembled by the Huangye Jiaotuan, which had been exploring the Tianlu for years and had collectively gone missing, suddenly reappeared in the Ocean of Souls, catching the attention of the Huangye Jiaotuan's higher-ups. They spared no effort to rescue them.

However, what made things tricky was that this group had fallen into a bizarre deep sleep, and even the Tianren's intervention couldn't easily awaken them.

This situation piqued the curiosity of the Huangye Jiaotuan's leaders, making them wonder what these people had encountered during those years.

Finally, after confirming the identity of a woman in this team, the Huangye Jiaotuan immediately contacted the Zongjiao Guanliju and obtained several Xin Deng Z Zi, which they planted.

This woman's name was Mei Ke.

After planting the Xin Deng Z Zi, it didn't take long for Mei Ke to awaken smoothly. But the first words she spoke after waking up were:

"The Heavenly Devil infiltrated the federal territory a year ago!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end